Rotary engine

ABSTRACT

A rotary engine comprising a stationary, cylindrical case containing an axially sinuous, stationary, circular guideway, a rotor concentric with the guideway, a plurality of open-ended bores extending generally longitudinally through the rotor, equally spaced peripherally about the rotor and inclined away from the guideway and in the direction of rotation of the rotor, a piston reciprocably received in each bore and tethered at its proximal end to follow the guideway, a closure for the end of the case remote from the guideway, and a fuel intake port, an ignition station and an exhaust port in the closure positioned for successive registry of the distal end of each bore as the rotor rotates.

nite States [191 Baugh ROTARY ENGINE Archie Baugh, 212 Matlock Rd.,Bloomington, 1nd. 47401 [22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:319,741

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 123/43 C, 92/56 [51] Int. Cl. F02!) 53/08 [58] Field ofSearch..... 123/43, 43 A, 43 AA, 43 B,

[451 Apr. 30, 1974 A rotary engine comprising a stationary, cylindricalcase containing an axially sinuous, stationary, circular guideway, arotor concentric with the guideway, 21 plurality of open-ended boresextending generally longitudinally through the rotor, equally spacedperipherally about the rotor and inclined away from the guideway and inthe direction of rotation of the rotor, a piston reciprocably receivedin each bore and tethered at its proximal end to follow the guideway, aclosure for the end of the case remote from the guideway, and a fuelintake port, an ignition station and an exhaust port in the closurepositioned for successive registry of the distal end of each bore as therotor rotates.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures e g/ m F fi llll 11 7 ROTARY ENGINE Thepresent invention relates to a rotary, internal combustion engine whichis simpler, more efficient and less likely to emit noxious effluentsthan internal combustion engines heretofore known. The primary object ofthe invention is to provide an engine in which a stationary, cylindricalcase receives a stationary, circular cam guideway and receives also arotor block formed with a plurality of through bores, all inclinedforwardly and away from the guideway and each receiving a reciprocatingpiston, the pistons being operatively connected to the guideway and theends of the bores remote from the guideway being arranged to registersuccessively with a fuel intake port, an igniter station and an exhaustport as the block rotates.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this inventionmay be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, and that change may be made in the specificconstruction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an engine constructed in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 22 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 33 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmental section upon a diameter of the blockincluding the axis of a bore;

FIG. 5 is a similar section taken at a 90 angle to the plane of FIG. 4;and

FIG. 6 is a fragmental section taken substantially on the line 66 ofFIG. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that I haveillustrated a case indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 andcomprising a cylinder 11 closed at its opposite ends by heads 12 and 13secured together by tie rods 14 and nuts 15. The head 13 is formed witha fuel intake port 16, a bore 17 to receive an igniter and an exhaustport 18.

A cam base 19 is secured to the inner face of the head 12 by means ofscrews 20 or other suitable fastening means and said base carries a camguideway 21 shaped as a double sine wave and having one surface 22facing away from the base 12 and a parallel surface 23 facing towardsaid base 12.

A shaft 24 has one end stepped into a bearing means 25 carried by thehead 12 and has its distal region supported in a suitable bearing means26 carried by the head 13. Between the bearings, said shaft carries arotor block 27.

The block 27 is formed with four through bores 28, 29, and 31. Since theseveral bores are identical in arrangement and function, only one willbe described in detail.

The bore 28, for instance, is inclined forwardly (in the direction ofrotation of the rotor 27) and away from the guideway 21. As is mostclearly to be seen in FIG. 4, the bore 28 is also inclined inwardly andaway from the guideway so that the diameter of the circle upon which theaxes of the ports 16, 17 and 18 are located is less than the diameter ofthe guideway 21.

In each of the bores 28, 29, 30 and 31 there is reciprocably mounted apiston such as the piston 32 shown in the bore 28. Sincethe pistons areidentical, only one will be described in detail.

The proximal end of each piston is double bevelled as at 33, 34 (FIG. 5to define a diametral ridge 35. On the axis of the piston, apart-spherical snap socket 36 is formed partially to receive a ball 37to bear upon the guideway surface 22.

At a point somewhat above the bevelled surfaces 33 and 34, the piston isformed with a diametrical bore 38 parallel with the ridge 35 to receiveone leg 39 of a clip 40 whose body 41 is partially received in alongitudinal, semicylindrical groove 42 in the side of the piston. Amating semicylindrical groove 43 is formed in a wall of the bore 28 toreceive the other portion of the clip body, whereby said piston isafiirmatively held against any rotational movement about its own axiswithin the bore 28.

A leg 44 parallel with the clip leg 39 underlies the guideway 21 andthere carries a roller 45 bearing upon the guideway surface 23. Thus,the piston 32 is tethered to the guideway 21 which may be said to begripped between the antifriction ball 37 and the antifriction roller 45so that, as the rotor 27 turns, the proximal end of the piston is forcedto follow the sinuous contour of the guideway 21.

It is undesirable for the noncircular, open ends of the bores 28, 29, 30and 31 to bear directly against the lower face of the head 13 as therotor 27 turns. Therefore, I have shown a plate 46 secured by screws 47to the distal end of the rotor 27 and formed with rectilinear ports 48always in open communication with the distal ends of the several bores.Said ports in the plate 46, of course, come into successive registrationwith the ports 16, 17 and 18 of the head 13.

As has been stated, the port 17 is adapted to receive an igniter suchas, for instance, a conventional sparkplug 49. The reference numeral 50indicates a fuel conduit leading to a source of fuel (not shown).

As the rotor 27 turns, each piston will be moved downwardly (as viewedin FIG. 1) to create a vacuum just before its bore registers with theintake port 16. A charge of fuel will be drawn into that bore and thatcharge will be compressed as the piston moves upwardly under theinfluence of the guideway 21 until, when the bore communicates with theport 17 and the spark plug is energized to produce a spark, the chargewill be burned to drive the piston downwardly. As the piston is thuspowerfully moved downwardly, its stem will bear against an inclinedportion of the trackway 23 to push the rotor 27 in a clockwise directionas viewed from above FIG. 1.

As the rotor continues to turn, the piston will be again forcedoutwardly by the guideway 21 to scavenge the products of combustion whenthe bore reaches communication with the port 18. As the rotor continuesto turn, the piston will again be retracted by the guideway 21 and, asthe bore again reaches communication with the port 16, a charge of fuelwill be drawn into the bore for compression and combustion as describedabove.

Of course, it will be understood that the specific details of the case10 as illustrated and described herein form no part of my invention andprobably will not be used in commercial engines. Instead, the parts 11and 12 may well be integrated and the part 19 and/or 21 may well beintegral parts of the case. Similarly, other means may be used to tetherthe several pistons to follow the guideway 21. Additionally, of course,suitable lubricating and cooling means will be incorporated into theengine. I have refrained from illustrating such lubricating and/orcooling means in order to avoid complication of the drawings, sinceconventional fins and/or coolant or lubricant passages may obviously bebuilt into an engine of the character herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, an internallycylindrical case, astationary trackway within said case near one end thereof and formedsubstantially as an endless double sine wave, a cylindrical blockreceived within said case for concentric rotation therein, a pluralityof bores formed in said block, each bore being inclined in the directionof rotation of said block and away from said trackway, a pistonreciprocably received in each bore, means at the proximal end of eachpiston gripping said trackway to follow the curvature thereof, a closurefor the other end of said case, said closure being formed with a fuelintake port, a port for reception of an igniter device, and an exhaustport all of said trackway. 4

4. The engine of claim 3 in which the proximal end of each piston isdouble bevelled to define a diametrical ridge and said first-namedantifriction means is a ball permanently seated in said ridge.

5. The engine of claim 3 in which said other antifriction means is aroller joumalled on a hanger fixed to said piston.

6. The engine of claim 4 in which said other antifriction means is aroller' joumalled on a hanger fixed to said piston.

7. The engine of claim 1 including means cooperating with each pistonand the wall of its associated bore to restrain said pistons againstturning about their respective axes.

8. In a rotary machine, an internally-cylindrical case, a stationarytrackway within said case near one end thereof and formed substantiallyas an endless double sine wave, a cylindrical block received within saidcase for concentric rotation therein, a plurality of bores formed insaid block, each bore being inclined in the direction of rotation ofsaid block and opening through both ends of said block, a pistonreciprocably received in each bore, means at the proximal end of eachpiston gripping said trackway to follow the curvature thereof, a closurefor the other end of said case, said closure being formed with an intakeport and an exhaust port, said ports being arranged on a common circleforsuccessive registration with the distal ends of said bores, and meansrotationally fixed relative to said block and accessible outside saidcase.

$22353? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIN Patent No-3,807,370 Dated April 30, 1974 Inventofls) Archie Baugh It is certifiedthat error appe ars in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below;

Column 1, line 64, after "inclined" insert radially Signed and sealedthis 8th day of October 19740 (SEAL) Arrest:

MQCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Atteting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. In an internal combustion engine, an internally-cylindrical case, astationary trackway within said case near one end thereof and formedsubstantially as an endless double sine wave, a cylindrical blockreceived within said case for concentric rotation therein, a pluralityof bores formed in said block, each bore being inclined in the directionof rotation of said block and away from said trackway, a pistonreciprocably received in each bore, means at the proximal end of eachpiston gripping said trackway to follow the curvature thereof, a closurefor the other end of said case, said closure being formed with a fuelintake port, a port for reception of an igniter device, and an exhaustport all arranged in a common circle for successive registration withthe distal ends of said bores.
 2. The engine of claim 1 in which saidbores are inclined also radially inwardly and away from said trackway.2. The engine of claim 1 in which said bores are inclined also radiallyinwardly and away from said trackway.
 3. The engine of claim 1 in whichthe means at the proximal end of each piston comprises antifrictionmeans, carried by said piston and bearing on the adjacent face of saidtrackway and other antifriction means carried by said piston and bearingon the remote face of said trackway.
 3. The engine of claim 1 in whichthe means at the proximal end of each piston comprises antifrictionmeans, carried by said piston and bearing on the adjacent face of saidtrackway and other antifriction means carried by said piston and bearingon the remote face of said trackway.
 4. The engine of claim 3 in whichthe proximal end of each piston is double bevelled to define adiametrical ridge and said first-named antifriction means is a ballpermanently seated in said ridge.
 4. The engine of claim 3 in which theproximal end of each piston is double bevelled to define a diametricalridge and said first-named antifriction means is a ball permanentlyseated in said ridge.
 5. The engine of claim 3 in which said otherantifriction means is a roller journalled on a hanger fixed to saidpiston.
 5. The engine of claim 3 in which said other antifriction meansis a roller journalled on a hanger fixed to said piston.
 6. The engineof claim 4 in which said other antifriction means is a roller journalledon a hanger fixed to said piston.
 7. The engine of claim 1 includingmeans cooperating with each piston and the wall of its associated boreto restrain said pistons against turning about their respective axes. 8.In a rotary machine, an internally-cylindrical case, a stationarytrackway within said case near one end thereof and formed substantiallyas an endless double sine wave, a cylindrical block received within saidcase for concentric rotation therein, a plurality of bores formed insaid block, each bore being inclined in the direction of rotation ofsaid block and opening through both ends of said block, a pistonreciprocably received in each bore, means at the proximal end of eachpiston gripping said trackway to follow the curvature thereof, a closurefor the other end of said case, said closure being formed with an intakeport and an exhaust port, said ports being arranged on a common circlefor successive registration with the distal ends of said bores, andmeans rotationally fixed relative to said block and accessible outsidesaid case.